An average of almost six hundred people a day read the blog .
A third spend almost five minutes reading , Two thirds spend half that time.
Stephanie tells me the shorter time is average time span of reading .
Considering the blog concentrates mostly on Aurora's political affairs, I'm delighted with that level of interest.
When I started ,I had no idea whether anyone at all would tune in to see what I had to say.
I could expand the issues. I won't as long as I'm a member of Council. I think there's a specific job to be done
I don't seek advertising revenue. I've no idea what that might entail. But I write about what I know about as a result of being a member of Council. It's not mine to sell.
I tell you about Councillors and positions they take. But they've taken them in Council. They're not secret .They are yours to know about.
I try to convey the pressures.Sometimes Councillors do well .Other times not so good. It's not different to most people. Which is what we are .
Code of Conduct preamble says we are privileged and a higher standard is expected .
Getting elected is not a privilege. It's a trust and a responsibility.People do not aspire to politics.
We're not better than anyone else. Winning an election does not change us Why is a higher standard expected of us?
Why is a normal standard not good enough?
Why is criticism the norm rather than encouragement? Because we are politicians and people need to vent.
Every parent knows about that.
Councillors need to know what people think and people need to tell them. It might be polite,it might not.
The heritage park fantasy gained traction and resources were expended because proponents in the Historical Society and the Heritage Advisory Committee collected names to influence Council.
It lost traction because those who thought it was a crazy scheme pushed back and told Councillors
exactly that. The staff repot was a face saver.
Heritage district designation got started , a contract awarded and $34,000 spent before Council understood how much opposition and evidence there was against the project.
That only happened because property -owners organized , gathered research and blew that boat right out of the water.
It's the way things ought to work.
I think the blog has contributed to the process.
Having Council reverse course is a mark of success.
It would be better if the decisions were not made in the first place and no resources wasted.
That calls for faster, more determined reaction from the community at large. It's unorganized so it takes longer.
But we are getting there.
I understand your point, Evelyn, but feel that it is a good thing that the community is not organized at the moment. That means that the entitleds are unable to find an easy target. They are hard pressed to come up with lists of those they find offensive when the supposed culprits are spread throughout the town. The down-side is that they can attack your Blog.
ReplyDeleteIf a white knight or knightess or two should emerge, then there might be an occasion to organize.
ReplyDeleteMost of us go through life representing ourselves, whether as children, adults, married or with children.
We are primarily responsible for ourselves and our families. But that responsibility should always be maintained in the context of our existence as a member of a community and our interaction with members of that community.
I don't agree that elected officials are privileged. If anything, they carry the burden of public office.
But trust and responsibility are fundamental, and if these are somehow abused than our democratic system breaks down.
I suppose a "higher standard" is just a way of elevating trust and responsibility a little way above the average.
People who are entrusted with creating legislation, and then with enforcing it, should be held to this vague
"higher standard."
But we all know that even the highest officials in the land are but human, and we see their failings all the time.
Maybe they broke a trust or shied away from the responsibility that was theirs to deal with.
The world is imperfect, as are many of its rules.
Congratulations Evelyn! What an incredible job you've done.
ReplyDelete12:53
ReplyDeleteThey can attack all day long...The Blog is strong enough to bite back and any given moment. How?...It has a strong leader at the helm.